A Strange and Inevitable Crush
by SideshowJazz1
Summary: Late at night, Ash dreams...and Jessie hears him confessing a crush. What will she do? Redshipping one-shot. Set during "Forest Grumps." Know it's unusual, but give it a try.


**A/N: Hi, this is jazzykid1. I'm back, and I know this is really weird and nearly impossible, but there's just not enough Redshipping stories on here. This is for all the people that have ever thought Ash and Jessie have ever had a connection.**

**It's just another day when Ash and Jessie start thinking about each other... and how many times they've really connected.**

Ash lay in his sleeping bag in the cave. When the wild Ursaring attacked, Ash and his friends had been battling Team Rocket. They had made a run for it, and they at first thought everyone was fine, but they found that Misty wasn't with them, but Jessie was. Although they knew Jessie was usually bossy and mean to her team, she had been unusually quiet while Ash and Brock looked for Misty.

Ash glanced at the other side of the cave, seeing the single long curl of vibrant red hair. He knew it was weird, but there was something about Jessie that just seemed to be in a completely different world from yells and slaps.

Ash's POV

This felt like I was standing on a cliff top, and there was no barrier. Breathtaking but dangerous. I glanced at Jessie. We had declared a truce until Brock and I found Misty and she found James and Meowth, but I wouldn't put it past her to take Pikachu anyway. I mean, she's Jessie. _Jessie, _the girl I've thought of to be the most evil member of Team Rocket ever since I've known her. But even so, when I look at her, I sometimes feel different, like Jessie's not my enemy. Almost a...crush. But usually I dismiss the thoughts as crazy. How could I like Jessie? Apart from the fact she's been tracking me for a long time, trying to take my Pikachu, she's about seven years older than me and she's really scary sometimes.

But sometimes, I feel like we connect. Sometimes, things happen that the camera doesn't see. Sometimes, I catch Jessie's eye, and she looks like she's about to smile, and I'm about to, but then some more battling comes.

Then there was the time we had to battle Cassidy and...um, Bill, was it? No, I remember, it was Butch! Anyway, Cassidy wanted to battle Jessie and James, so I decided to help. I can remember when Jessie gave me a quick smile and said "We'll beat 'em!" For one second, I really believed her. Then I pulled myself out of my thoughts and I was unsure again. "We will?"

Sometimes, I don't know where I am when I'm battling Jessie. Other times, I don't really want to focus on her Pokemon and focus on James' Pokemon first. Could I really crush on her? But anyway, I'm sure she wouldn't like me back.

I stole another look at her. It was at night. It looks like she's drifted off, so I figure it's safe to get some shut-eye myself.

Jessie's POV

I somehow can't always look directly at Ash. Not unless I force myself, and sometimes not even then. When we battle, I sometimes try not to think "Ash" and think "Pokemon". I'm just trying to do my job, but sometimes it gets too much. I don't mind battling Misty or Brock, or in the early days, Tracey, but Ash? Even though he's supposed to be the most twerpy twerp, I somehow can't think of him as a twerp. He's _Ash. _When I talk to anyone, I call him twerp to keep up appearances, but in my mind, I call him Ash. Sometimes, I lock eyes with him, and nearly smile, but usually a cry from our friends breaks our gaze. I never want to admit it, but I can't lie to my mind. I like Ash-I mean like like him, and I don't want to. Apart from the fact that we're supposed to be mortal enemies, he's ten years old! And he's stubborn enough to hate me always. Besides, I'm nearly eighteen. I might be evil and bossy and insensitive and mean, but showing feelings for anyone is out of the question. Even Ash. He has no idea that I have a crush on him, and have had ever since I overheard him admitting his weaknesses as a Pokemon trainer to his Metapod, just before it evolved into Butterfree. I managed to stay out of the Beedrill range just a little longer than James, so that's how I heard. I thought it was so sweet and I couldn't help thinking Ash wasn't really as annoying as I first thought. I didn't want to say that to James. I guess he might understand, being the sensitive one of the team, but I don't want to take any chances. And I'm sure Ash doesn't like me back. Anyway, he's asleep now. Maybe I should go back to looking for a chance to take Pikachu.

Wait, what is Ash saying? "But Misty, I don't..." Oh, he's only dreaming about the twerpette. "I can't say who, but she's prettier, and older...please don't ask..." What in the...does Ash know any other girls? Maybe it's one of the twerpette's sisters... "Fine, I like Jessie, okay, Misty?" Did I hear that? He must be dreaming something completely wrong.

I can't stand it anymore! "Ash?" I whisper. He opens his eyes.

"Jessie? What's up?" he asks.

"What were you dreaming before?"

"I was dreaming...why should I tell you?" his eyes turn hard.

My own temper is about to appear. I manage to keep my voice down. I don't want to wake the older twerp up. "What harm can it do?"

"Why should I tell you?" Ash repeats.

"_Because you said you liked me, get it?" _I snap, my voice still little more than a whisper.

Ash is speechless. At last, he says "It's true."

I glare at him, my blue eyes turning as hard as stones. "Right. Like how?"

"Think about it. How many times have we connected, not even realizing it? Like the time we battled that other pair from Team Rocket? Or the times I've caught you staring at me and nearly smiling?"

I tried to calm down. "Okay, but we're talking about you."

"Oh yeah. I've done the exact same thing to you, haven't you noticed?"

I hadn't.

Ash

"I knew you'd never feel like that about me." I confess, wondering why I'm spilling the contents of my heart to Jessie, even if I do have a huge crush on her.

Jessie stares at the ground. She mutters something.

"What did you say?"

"My sentiments to you exactly." she replies.

"I don't get it." I'm confused to what she means.

She locks eyes with me. "I like you and I thought you'd never feel that way about me either."

I get out of my sleeping bag and go to sit next to her. "You don't really mean that, do you?" I look into her eyes, and even as I say it, I know what the answer is.

"I do mean it." Jessie whispers, her sapphire eyes full of tears threatening to spill.

Jessie

I've never felt like this before. I'm about to cry, but I can't cry. That shows weakness, and I'm _not _weak. But I can't help it. I hide my face in my hands and burst into tears. It's not long until I feel an arm around my shoulders, and although I look up, I know it's Ash. We begin to cling to each other, and although I'm scared, I can't deny what's coming next.

Our lips meet, and I can feel tension, both from me and from Ash. But somehow, it fits. There is silence, and I close my eyes, just waiting until we break away. Even when we do, and I open my eyes, we just stare at each other.

Finally, Ash asks "Have you told James...or Meowth?" I see fear in his eyes.

"No." I tell him. "Have you told Misty or Brock?"

"No."

"Let's keep it that way." I say, reverting to my tough stance. "And just warning you, this doesn't make any difference." I give my best evil laugh. "I'm still going to try and steal Pikachu from you, you know, just to keep up appearances."

"Okay." Ash whispers, but I can see hurt in his eyes.

"It's nothing personal." I tell him. "It's my job. I'm not quitting Team Rocket. It's my life, and you have to understand that. And I'd never leave my teammates. They're my best friends."

"I understand." Ash replies sincerely. We kiss one more time, and then Ash goes back to his sleeping bag. "Goodnight, Jessie."

"Goodnight, Ash."

The End

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